Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Softcover International | Subject: Scan2CAD Pro
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 14 December 2001
Software converts scanned drawings into
DXF files
Scan2CAD Pro is a fast low-cost raster to vector convertor which turns scanned images into DXF files for quick and easy editing in any PC CAD, CAM, schematics or PCB program.
Scan2CAD Pro is a fast low-cost raster to vector convertor which turns scanned images (raster files) of drawings, schematics, artwork, logos etc, into a DXF (vector) file for quick and easy editing in any PC CAD, CAM, schematics or PCB program, thereby saving redrawing time Scan2CAD is a British program used by CAD and electronics professionals worldwide
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Scan2CAD is necessary because a scanned image cannot be edited in a CAD, CAM or PCB program.
It can only be viewed (like a photo) and traced over but not edited (like a CAD or PCB file).
Scan2CAD does the raster to vector conversion quickly and efficiently.
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Scan2CAD Pro opens and converts monochrome (black/white), grayscale and colour raster files like BMP (bitmaps), CALS, GIF, JPG, PCX, TIFF and PNG (Portable Network Graphics) the emerging raster file standard.
It has TWAIN support so the user can acquire (scan) drawings from inside Scan2CAD Pro using any size of TWAIN-compliant scanner, from desktop models up to A0-sizes.
It includes a tiling feature that allows large drawings, like A0 ones, to be scanned on A4 or A3 desktop scanners as a set of "tiles" which can be assembled and merged in Scan2CAD and vectorised at the original paper size and scale.
Scan2CAD Pro has comprehensive pre-process raster editing and tidy-up tools to clean the scanned image before vectorization.
Raster images can be tidied-up with commands like despeckle, smooth, rotate, thin, fill and warp (rubber-sheeting) etc.
Scan2CAD Pro has full support for Windows TrueType fonts including those supplied by third parties.
Any TrueType font can be selected and used to create company logos and signs, etc, which can be outlined and saved as a DXF vector file for use with PCB software.
Scan2CAD Pro has been developed with UK CAD, CAM, CNC and PCB users.
It is particularly useful for electrical schematics and can also be used for PCB layouts.
It will track lines in a scanned image down either the centre or outside and will make the outline up from a minimum of lines, arcs and circles where each element is joined to the other.
The user can specify to set an orthogonality option (force vertical and horizontal lines that join at 90 degrees) on or off (generally on for electrical schematics).
Lines that break during scanning can be joined together by specifying a gap jump value.
A command line function allows the electronics user to run Scan2CAD Pro from inside other applications or to automate repetitive tasks.
It is supplied with SnapTidy vector editing tools that allow the user to quickly tidy up the converted DXF file before it is exported to their CAD, CAM, CNC or PCB program for final editing.
Scan2CAD Pro costs GBP 179.78 (incl) and is supplied with a 250 page manual and CD.
Readers can download a working evaluation with interactive training videos that will run on their PC from www.rastertovector.com.
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